THE number of foreigners arrested for immigration offences has
hit a ten-year low, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
(ICA) said on Monday.
In 2010, the total number of foreigners arrested for immigration
offences fell by 23 per cent to 4,260 compared to the previous
year. The number of people arrested for harbouring or employing
illegal immigrants has also fallen, by four and 48 per cent
respectively.
Attempts by immigration offenders to leave Singapore illegally
via vehicles were also thwarted, with 18 vehicles used by illegal
foreigners seized by the ICA - more than double the eight seized in
2009. All but three of the 18 vehicles seized were cars, of which
only one was Singapore-registered.
Contraband smuggling detections also saw a 28 per cent increase
over the previous year, with 67,600 instances compared to 2009's
52,800. Contraband cigarette smuggling was the most common offence,
with one in every four detected cases of smuggling involving
cigarettes.
Commissioner of the ICA, Clarence Yeo, said: 'ICA's remarkable
results over the last 12 months have proven once again that our
multi-pronged efforts in containing the immigration offender
situation have been effective.
'ICA officers will stay vigilant and resolute against
adversaries attempting to enter our country illegally.'
